You multi-hull guys, I need an opinion...

[kchunk]

I'm heading out today to look at a Windrider 16 trimaran. I was a bit interested in these several months back, but one has come up for sale here locally and I may have to grab it just because of the great deal. Any opinions on these particular boats?

[Potcake boy]

Greg,
Do it.  A great introduction to trimaran sailing and nice little daysailor.  There is a almost cult following for these tris and many sailors are using them to extreme. 

I had been loo king at a possible purchase for myself.

They don't point as close as their bigger brethren because of the short keel but they are a daysailor so you don't normally go far from home. Their speed is the main attraction, and the newer wider model is very difficult to over turn.

The kids will love it - there is room for all, but can be easily sailed by one.  Take it with you where ever you go and only a little set up time.

If you happen to be driving past Punta Gorda, stop in and we'll see how well it sails in the river by my house.

What year and color and sails???

Ron

[kchunk]

Well, I just got back from looking at it. It's in decent enough shape and certainly worth his asking price. My right brain can think of 100 different scenarios where this boat will be great! However, my left brain keeps picturing just one...the boat sitting in my garage and me cursing at it every time I walk pass it.

I told him I was very interested but I need to think about it. Hopefully he'll just sell it and I won't have to make a decision.

What am I talking about!?!?!? It's a great deal and a great boat. I should run right back there and buy it today! It'll be lots of fun! Right Ron? And then when it sits in my garage for 6 months you can take it off my hands for half the price I paid for it    ugh...

--Greg

[nies]

I HAVE WALKED AWAY TOO MANY TIMES, WHEN MY HEART SAID YES, TO BE SORRY LATER. GO BACK AND BUY IT!!!!! ITS NOT IRREVERSABLE....GO FOR IT..PHIL

[Potcake boy]

Well, you know what they say Greg - the worst thing to do is nothing.  If you take the kids out in it once, you'll find they will keep it from collecting dust.  Personally I think the ideal boating solution for us landlubbers is to have a suitable vessel for cruising, and a daysailor for that evening impulse when planning time may not be available.

If all else fails, it's social to pass it around.  Would be interesting if everyone that had owned a small vessel had somehow made their own inscription upon that vessel like an owners log.

Ron

[Bob23]

Not being familiar with these,  I just got done checking the Windrider site only to find out that, yea, I indeed had a chance to sail on one of these a few years back. A guy kept one in the cove where "Koinonia" spends her summers. The owner only referred to it as "The Spider". It was a blast to sail...one got quite happily soaked in no time. You WILL come back with a big grin on your face!
Bob23

[brackish]

Never sailed a Windrider, but raced Hobie 16's, back in the seventies.  A real blast.  Learned the meaning of "pitchpole" and being "shot from the butt bucket". They are pure fun, but I may be a little too old now to be athletic enough to keep that up.

Frank

[Craig Weis]

No room. Be it a Hobby Cat with the float atop the mast and where you sit on top of the hulls, or where some living space is used within the hulls. Your still 'out there' between the span, unless its a really big boat.
These are fast boats, but I ain't fast. I like my keels in the water, and I hate to pitchpole stern over bow just because some wave got in the way. Ahhhhhh the French 90 footers. Gotta love them.


skip.

[nies]

SKIP, I LIKE TO KEEP MY KEEL IN THE WATER ALSO, GOT CAUGHT IN A MICRO BURST , WITH 60 MPH WINDS WITH ALL THE SAILS UP. IF THE BOAT HADNT BEEN BRAND NEW I DOUBT IF IT WOULD HAVE COME OUT OF IT WITHOUT DAMAGE OR WORST. WINDS INCREASED SLOWLY AND THEN CAME SO FAST AND HARD THERE WAS NO TIME TO REEF OR LOWER SAILS. WHEN THE WIND BLOWS HARD PHIL GOES IN, DRIVING THE DAN RYAN, IN CHICAGO, WAS SCARY ENOUGH FOR EXCITMENT..........PHIL

[ka8uet]

Actrually, if you want the best of both worlds, somewhere out there are three C Cats, catamarans built by Hutchins to the design of Bill Symonds.  Good boats, and I'm looking to buy one of them if I can find her.  I had made a down payment on one owned by a couple in Texas, but they disappeared, and so did my money.  Not the fault of the boat.  I still want one.